The Road to Hell is paved with good intentions
by Kagelu
Summary: At the end of the Hades arc, Athena makes a decision that shock everyone in the Sanctuary. A decision that will reveal truths long buried and make the Saints especially Kanon question all that they've known
1. Chapter 1

At the end of the recent Holy War, Kanon was surprised to find himself alive and accepted by the people of the Sanctuary.

He mused that it couldn't be merely because he was a Gold Saint. Afterall one of the conditions of the new truce that Athena and Hades had agreed on was the revival of her Gold Saints. So there was no shortage of Gold Saints at the moment.

Kanon knew this since he had been the one who assisted Athena with the treaty negotiations.

He wonder was it due to the fact that he had made it out alive despite that last desperate attack on Rhadamanthys.

Just moments before Kanon thought he was a goner, he woke up on the surface with the bronze saints when Athena brought her surviving saints back to Earth with her.

However, Kanon knew that he had a lot to make up for the misery that all his years of plotting had caused. His suggestion to Athena to demand the revival of her Gold Saints was but a small part on his road to making amendments.

Therefore when he was summoned to the inner audience chamber of the Sanctuary months later, Kanon has assumed that Athena has decided it was time her wayward Gemini received his punishment.

However, his goddess appeared to have other ideas for his future.

He had entered the audience chambers with the thought that today would be his day of Reckoning. Every step that echoed sounded ominous to his ears. Now however, Kanon wondered if he had fallen prey to Ikki's Phoenix Illusion Demoniac Fist again.

After all, the bizarre proclamation he heard made him question his sanity. Words escaped his lips before he could stop himself.

'I, I beg your pardon Lady Athena but did you say…'

Saori smiled benevolently down from her seat upon the throne.

'Gemini Kanon, I am sorry to impose this upon you so soon before your injuries from the Holy WAar are fully healed but I must insist.'

'Lady Athena, I do not mean to sound ungrateful however surely the others will object~!'

A heavy sigh drew Kanon's attention to the figure besides his goddess. For his part, Shion stood forward. The old Pope had been revived in his advanced age, (Hades would only give so much leeway) now looked all his years as he spoke.

'Are you rejecting her Ladyship's decision Kanon?'

Kanon quickly denied. 'No! It's just that…'

Shion swiftly cut in. 'In that case, there is no issue. Now, Gemini Gold Saint Kanon, heed Athena's decree! From this day onwards, you are appointed the rank of Cardinal and a candidate for the seat of Pope of Athena.'

Shion's eyes narrowed on the younger Saint as he stressed his next words. 'Do NOT disappoint her.'

Well, if the old man put it that way; there was no way to object without insulting his goddess was there.

Kanon bowed his head low, humbled. 'I understand'


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter2**

Kanon sighed as he walked back to his room. Gingerly, he picked at the soft white linen that made up his new cardinal robes. He silently cursed when he almost tripping on it's hem for the umpteen time.

Immediately after the audience, Athena had presented him with his new robes of office. A long white Ionic chiton belted at the wrist with a red and gold trimmed zoster. To Kanon who has worn either training clothes or armour though out most of his life, he felt exposed in this outfit.

The only good he could see in this whole mess was the fact that the audience had been a private one, at least they were kind enough not to break the news in front of the sensitive few-like his brother. Shion had informed him the public announcement is scheduled after the noon meal tomorrow.

This meant, Kanon had till tonight to break the news to his brother. Running a hand through his hair, Kanon cursed the irony of the situation. Years ago, when he landed in Cape Sounion for trying to engineer Saga's lifelong dream of becoming Pope, he vowed he would get revenge on his brother.

Now, it would seem Kanon got his wish for the ultimate revenge on his twin during a point when he is trying to mend bridges with his sibling.

'If this is a kind of punishment for both of us, I must say it is brilliant and worthy of the goddess of strategy' Kanon muttered under his breath.

Even after the revival of the Gold Saints, things remain awkward between the twins. Before this, Kanon had managed to lose himself in his many duties and thus successfully avoided his twin.

Kanon knew he could spare himself an immediate faceoff with his twin as he was given his own room in the Pope palace by Athena shortly after the war. Initially it was to better protect the goddess and as the only Gold Saint at that time, he acted as her head advisor and as the highest ranking saint in Sanctuary ended up handling the daily management of Sanctuary. Saga himself chose to stay in the Gemini temple, coupled with their separate duties the twins haven't spoken in private since Saga's return.

Kanon knew most of it was awkwardness with each other that was keeping them apart since the new duties wasn't exactly challenging to him. The years spent lurking around Sanctuary shadowing his twin, followed by running Poseidon's underwater Palace proved most useful. It was also quickly discovered that while the bronze saints were brilliant in battles, only Shun and (maybe?) Shiryu were any good when it came to human interactions of any kind that did not involve fights.

(After the eighty daily fights fiasco, the threat of an inter-dimensional world tour done wonders for discipline and peace.)

Although his duties lessened with Shion's return, strangely there were still matters that Shion and the goddess prefer to hand to the young Gemini. In hindsight, he should have suspected something was afoot.

Athena had ended the audience with a gentle suggestion. That he tell his twin the news himself.

It would seem nothing escapes his goddess not even the situation with the brothers and Kanon had been oh so careful.

However, with his new rank it was probably better his twin heard it from him than through a public announcement alongside the other Gold Saints.

Which was why, he is now using his cosmos to hide himself as he made his way down from the Pope palace to the Gemini Temple.

It was time to face Saga.


End file.
